Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Oct 2002

Vol. 555 No. 3

Written Answers. - Road Safety.

Joan Burton

Question:

103 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Transport when he expects the proposed penalty points system will be operational; if a tender has been awarded for the operation of the scheme; if so, the persons or group to whom it has been awarded; when the planned public information programme will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18226/02]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

The Government road safety strategy 1998-2002 provided for the implementation of a penalty points system in support of road safety enforcement. The legislation necessary for this measure was passed by the Oireachtas in March 2002. The penalty points system will be operated through the national driver file which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. I understand that the software supporting the national driver file has been amended to accommodate the penalty points system. Before the system can become fully operational the national driver file must be supported by the IT systems of the courts and the Garda. The development of these IT systems and the awarding of contracts for this work is a matter for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I understand from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform that work on the necessary Garda IT systems to support full implementation of penalty points is under way and is planned to be completed by the end of 2003.

Penalty points will be applied in respect of a wide range of minor offences, the commission of which have a potentially negative impact on road safety. These include excessive speeding, red light running, poor lane discipline, non-compliance with stop and yield signs and a number of offences relating to vehicle safety and driver licensing. Excessive speed is recognised as the most significant contribution to road accident causation and has already been the subject of significant investment in enforcement measures by An Garda Síochána, with over 345,000 speeding notices issued in 2001. The importance of achieving safer speeds is recognised as a key priority of the current road safety strategy.

Accordingly, I have ordered that the highest possible priority be given to the introduction of penalty points in respect of speeding offences on a stand alone basis. Work is at an advanced stage in putting arrangements in place for the limited operation of penalty points and I expect this system to be operational by the end of this month. To facilitate the operation of this system, it has been necessary to engage a data processing company to capture manual data from An Garda Síochána and the courts and convert it into an electronic format which can be transferred to the national driver file. The tendering process for the award of the contract to a data capture company is at an advanced stage and I expect a contract will be awarded shortly. Meetings are being arranged with the appropriate authorities in order to develop a public information programme which will commence shortly.